The... Wizard of Cairo???

So.... I'm not in the habit of sharing my dreams. But this one was too good to pass up!

Last night, I had a dream that was The Wizard of Oz themed. However, instead of taking place in a forest with a paved brick trail, it took place in the deserts of Egypt. And instead of the three well-known, lovable companions of the popular movie, my companions were: an undead mummy, a flesh-eating scarab whose life I accidentally saved, so he made a vow not to eat me, and a tiny dust devil that was sad he didn't have a body.

Let's just say I'm glad that the original took place in a forest.

Immodesty is harming our society?......

SO! Yesterday, as I was packing up to leave work, my coworker called me into her office, and showed me a fantastic article.

Basically, a young and misguided BYU female made the mistake of wearing.... (I'm sorry. It's hard for me to get this out. It's just so IMMODEST)..... leggings.

So as she was studying on BYU campus, an anonymous, socially awkward male handed her this note:



So I'm sure you're wondering what she was wearing, this Jezebel. Well, here is the picture. (I considered not posting it because it is just so SUGGESTIVE!!)



So, stopping with the sarcasm.... should I be more concerned about this girl who is not showing anything we didn't already know was there (wait... girls have TWO LEGS?), or the young man who is so distracted by the shape of her knees that he took the time to self-righteously condemn her?

Add this to the list of reasons I am glad I no longer attend BYU: I wear leggings and shirts to work ALL THE TIME. And no one hands me notes about how inappropriate I am.

What's that line about an apple and a tree again?

So. Recently, there has been a lot about bullying and the terrible affects it has on it's victims. And I am truly sorry for those families who have experienced an unmentionable amount of loss because of it. And there has been talk of cracking down on bullies, and on the instatement of  no - tolerance policies at schools.

While I agree that the recent events in our country have created a need for change, I don't think we are looking to the right source for the change; in short, bullies and victims are created long before they enter the public school system.

My friend Adam, who's father is in charge of a potato roguing company in eastern Idaho during the summers, talks about 17 and 18 year old kids who get made fun of at work, and then who's mothers call and complain. What does this have to do with my above point? A lack of good parenting, or the decline of having two strong parents in the home, is resulting in a generation of attention - seekers, drama kings and queens, and a complete lack of coping mechanisms.

So the solution shouldn't be to make teachers with already difficult jobs have even more responsibility, but to shift the blame to the shoulders of those raising those children who come in either so unequipped to deal with the problems of life or so attention - starved they seek recognition in the worst places.

Thank you for your time. 

My biggest fear

Being left behind.

It involves being the last one. And it's my biggest fear.

Followed closely by whales.

Huge destructive savages.

The worthlessness of the human populace at large

You know, there are some pretty useless people out there.

Just sayin.

Now, I would never assert that people are born worthless. Or that they are terminally worthless. But some people. because of their decisions, render themselves useless. People who radically spout off anything they hear a semi-reputable source declare. People who choose NOT to think for themselves. People who just take up space in the world.

I'm sure they could make themselves worthwhile. But what are the odds of that? Slim to none, I'd say.

Postulate: A group's collective IQ is only as high as its lowest member...

SO. I'm sure by now that you've all seen the video "everything amazing and nobody's happy". (If not, take a moment and click that link.) Just a commentary on that.

You know what is incredibly frightening? Mob mentality. Thinking as a group, acting as a group. It's like the collective IQ of a group is only as high as it's lowest iq'd member. It's incredible - people do things in groups that they would never do by themselves. It's like the whole idea of consequences goes out the window. When it's a "we", people feel more comfortably acting stupid, racist, violent, sexist, ignorant, or any combination of the above.

ANYWAY - getting back to my point - I noticed how you have to very consciously decide not to participate in whatever group attitude is prevalent. I was hurrying through the airport this morning, annoyed at everyone and everything, when I realized - I have nothing to hurry for. (As evidenced by my current state of partial dress in my apartment...) I have no reason to find that clueless foreigner annoying. They're just trying to figure things out. And all those short women who walk slow? Join arms and create a barricade! Why not?

I guess I'm just musing about the fact that we never actually have to feel pissed off, hurried, annoyed, or any of those negative emotions. Choose to enjoy the experience.

That is, after all, what life is all about right? Learning to be happy even when things aren't perfect?

P.S. I just have to say, though, that I find short people who complain about airplane seats REALLY obnoxious. Really? You think you're uncomfortable? Try growing 8 inches and then tell me how you feel.

VS.

Piratical heart surgery?

So of COURSE this would happen to me. I look like I had freaking heart surgery. Or got into a fight with a pirate. Or both.

Now, I must explain what I mean by this. Friday morning, I was rushing to get ready. And I was finishing up curling my hair. I always put the curling iron on the hottest setting, which is usually between 280-300 degrees (according to this site). Now, what can happen to your skin at 300 degrees? I will tell you.

I dropped the curling iron on to the left side of my chest, and it came in contact with my skin for just a moment. It left a red mark, and to be honest, didn't hurt that bad. However, next thing I knew (aka at work), it had bubbled into two blisters. Now?

It is a savage scab. A really unsightly one too. It is all greenish brown and crusty, and nasty.

So today I went to the health clinic at my job (which is technically only supposed to treat missionaries) and they put a GIANT gauze patch on it.

So people think I was stabbed in the heart or something.

No big deal.

Worth it?

You tell me!